Safety belt buckle



Nov. 21, 1967 R. J. SETT|M| 3,353,234

SAFETY BELT BUCKLE Filed Sept. 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 21, 1967 R. J. SETTIMI 3,353,234

SAFETY BELT BUCKLE Filed Sept. 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,353,234 SAFETY BELT BUCKLE Raymond J. Settimi, Lombard, Ill., assignor to Borg- Warner Corporation, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 488,336 6 Claims. (Cl. 24-230) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety belt buckle assembly includes a tongue which normally lies obliquely within the buckle body ready for movement into prying engagement with spaced reaction members in the buckle frame when under tension thus avoiding high load of the cover hinge pin. The cover provides a converging throat for guiding the tongue into register with the reaction members and floating latch member. The throat portion of the cover is so constructed and supported in the buckle body as to resist crushing of an order which would prevent disengagement of the tongue from the buckle body.

The present invention relates generally to buckles and more particularly to an improved safety belt or strap connector assembly of the metal to metal type.

Experience gained from the use of safety belts by large numbers of the public has indicated a number of desirable properties to be included in safety belt connectors.

By way of example, a thin, narrow, lightweight, attractively styled buckle appears to be desirable in order to encourage use of the safety belt. Another desirable feature is that coupling occurs by means of a simple direct motion which requires little or no visual attention to facilitate the use thereof. This feature is desirable when coupling the buckle in the dark, or when the operators attention is directed to additional matters. Further, it is desirable to provide a quick and easy disconnection means which functions reliably even after the `connector has undergone severe strain such as might Iresult from the acceleration forces imposed on the assembly in a collision or in a sudden stop.

The present invention accommodates these various requirements by providing a buckle body and tongue assembly having additional structural `reaction members which become effective when the assembly is placed under high stress.

The objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from consideration of the following description together with the drawings in which a preferred embodiment thereof is shown and described.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded View of the connector assembly of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view, in section, taken along the line 2 2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 with portions removed to illustrate the relative positions of the locking surfaces;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 with portions removed to illustrate the relative positions of various elements during coupling of the connector assembly; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 with portions removed to illustrate the relative positions of various elements during uncoupling of the connector assembly.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, a connector for connecting the ends of a pair of safety belts or straps is shown in exploded perspective in FIG- URE 1. The principal components of the connector assembly are the tongue 11, buckle body 23, latch plate 36, and latch operator 43. These components, their auxiliaries and their cooperation will be described in more detail in the following paragraphs.

The tongue 11 includes a rear aperture 12 providing means for connecting the end of a belt or strap 14 thereto. A belt cushion 13 may be fitted into the aperture, if desired, to round olf the aperture edge where the belt is threaded through the tongue. Belt 14 -is also folded over on itself, from each edge, to provide a narrow portion of double thickness where it engages the tongue. A pair of shoulders 15 and 16 extend inwardly from the edges of tongue 11 between the ends, defining a wide rear portion 17 and a narrow front portion 18. Front portion 18 includes a nose portion 19 which may be provided with tapered edges to facilitate coupling. Front portion 18 is also provided with a latch aperture 21 having rearwardly-facing latch surface 22.

Another major component of the connector assembly is the buckle body 23 which is generally channel shaped in cross-section, including a base portion 24 and a pair of side wals 25 and 26 extending upwardly from opposite sides of the base portion. Part of the base is struck upwardly providing a belt connecting aperture 27 and an upwardly extending pedestal or support 28 near one end. Aperture 27 rnay also be provided with a belt cushion 29. The other strap portion 32 is connected to buckle body 23 through aperture 27. If desired, cushion 29 can be incorporated into a decorative housing 31 tted between side walls 25 and 26, enclosing an end of the buckle body.

As shown more clearly in FIGURE 2, the other end of base 24 is re-entrantly folded upwardly and inwardly to form a low pedestal or support 33. The inner surface 34 of the folded end portion forms a socket with the base while the outer surface 35 forms an upwardly inclined surface for guiding tongue 11 into the buckle body. The support 28 extends upwardly from base 24 further than support 33 thereby providing higher and lower pedestals for supporting tongue 11 at an angle to base 24.

Side walls 25 and 26 have their ends, -adjacent low pedestal 33, inclined upwardly and outwardly providing stop surfaces 37a and 37b overhanging the wide rear portion 17 of tongue 11. The cooperation of overhanging stop surfaces 37a, 37b with the shoulders 15, 16 of tongue 11 is shown more fully in FIGURE 3.

Supports 28, 33 and portions of side walls 25, 26 form the perimeter of a generally rectangular enclosure having a socket extending along one edge thereof. A generally rectangular latch plate 36 is located within this enclosure and has one end 36a bearing in the socket formed by low pedestal 33 and base 24. The other end of plate 36 is supported by spring 38 near the high pedestal 28. The side margins yof latch plate 36 are Iclosely adjacent the inner surfaces of buckle body side walls 25, 27 but have operating clearance with respect thereto to permit the latch plate 36 to be depressed toward base 24. Latch plate 36 thus has limited freedom of movement but is secured against longitudinal or sidewise displacement from the buckle body 23.

Latch plate 36 has a midportion thereof struck upwardly to form a latch linger 39 having a locking face 41 facing forwardly for engagement with rearwardly facing latch surface 22 on tongue 11. As shown in FIGURE 4, the rear surface of finger 39 forms a guide ramp 42 which is contoured to serve as a guide for positioning nose 19 of tongue 11 over high pedestal 28 when latch plate 36 is depressed toward base 24.

Another component of the assembly is the latch operator 43 which is of modified channel form configuration adapted to t within buckle body 23. Latch operator 43 has a second pair of side walls 44, 45 spaced apart to fit closely adjacent the inner surfaces of buckle body sidewalls 25, 26. The pairs of side walls in the latch operator and buckle body are provided with aligned apertures 46, 47 and 48, 49 adapted to receive hollow pivot pins 51, 52. Pins 51 and 52 are fitted on opposite ends of the long friction pin 53 to provide a bearing assembly for pivotally mounting the latch operator in the buckle body.

The second pair of side walls 44', 45, are provided with cam surfaces 61, 62 which bear on opposite margins of latch plate 36. Thus rotation of the latch operator about pins 51, 52 is effective to depress latch plate 36 toward base 24 to release tongue 11.

Side walls 44, 45 are spaced apart by a web-like operating handle 56 which is bent slightly upwardly at the end to provide an easily accessible nger grip for uncoupling the connector assembly. The operating handle canbe formed with a slightly depressed surface 58 in whichv a decorative emblem 59 or the like can be mounted. The cam and operating handle are proportioned to provide a mechanical advantage to aid in releasing the connector assembly when it is desired to disconnect the assembly under load.

Another desirable feature included in the latch operator is the inwardly and downwardly folded end portion 57 forming a guide surface for directing the nose of tongue 11 into position with respect to latch 36 and pedestalV 28.

The latch operator side walls 44, 45 have edge surfaces 63, 64, extending rearwardly from the cam surfaces 61, 62 above latch plate 36. These edges 63, 64 terminate in downwardly extending abutments 65, 66 adapted to rest -on low support 33. The latch operator thus bears directly on a portion of the buckle body, thereby providing a crush resistant structure for strengthening the opening through which the tongue is inserted and removed. It is important that the mouth or opening remain unobstructed and that the linger grips remain accessible after sustaining a blow such as might occur from impingement on other items of hardware during a collision.

Referring now to the operation of the connector, FIG- URE 3 shows the relationship of the tongue, buckle body, and latch plate when the assembly is under high tension such as might result from emergency deceleration. Initially, tension on the assembly results in a slight longitudinal movement of tongue 11 along base 24 taking up the clearance between latch surface 22 and locking face 41, and forcing latch plate 36 to bear against the socket pr-ovided by the folded surface 34. Under higher tension, tongue 11 is tilted out of its normal angle of inclination with respect to base 24, forcing nose portionv 19 downwardly against high pedestal 28 and forcing shoulders 15, 16 upwardly against the inclined stop surfaces 37a, 37b.

It should be observed that the high tension applied to the assembly by belt sections 14 and 32 can be analyzed as a force system, known in mechanics as a couple The applied force system can be represented by a pair of large forces acting parallel to each other about a short moment arm. The applied force system is absorbed in the assembly by a resisting force system -acting generally at right angles thereto. The resisting force system can be represented as a pair of smaller parallel forces acting about a larger moment arm. By providing the two sets of longitudinally spaced reaction members represented by the nose 19 and pedestal 28 on one hand and the shoulders 15, 16 and stop surfaces 36, 37 on the other, the present connector assembly is able to transfer the longitudinally applied tensile forces directly into the structure of the buckle body as forces of reduced magnitude, acting generally at right angles to the applied forces.

Since these forces are not transferred through the latch operator, this design can be produced as a very strong, compact assembly affording considerable latitude for the incorporation of aesthetically appealing features in the operating handle. Since the operating handle forms a major portion of the cover and is grasped by the wearer in uncoupling the assembly, it. is important that it havey a pleasing appearance to encourage use of the connector assembly by the occupants of the motor vehicle.

Another feature of the invention is the simple, direct coupling afforded by the structure as illustrated in FIG- URE 4. The downwardly and inwardly folded end portion 57 of latch operator 43, together with the outer surface 35 of low pedestal 33, form a converging mouth for guiding the insertion of nose 19 of tongue 11 into engagement with the buckle body. The downwardly folded portion 57 of handle 56 is effective to guide nose 19 against the ram surface 42 of latch finger 39. This causes the forward end of latch plate 36 to dip downwardly toward base 24 compressing spring 38. Even though the end of latch plate 36 is close to the base, latch finger 39 extends upwardly forming a guide for directing nose 19 of tongue 11 into a position overlying the higher pedestal 28'. This effectively eliminates any tendency toward spurious engagement against the inner surface 67 of the high pedestal 28.

When tongue 11 is fully inserted into the buckle body, latch plate 36 is snapped upwardly by spring 38, engaging latch surface 22 with locking face 41. The engagement of these surfaces prevents withdrawal of the tongue from the buckle body and positions tongue shoulders 15, 16 beneath st-op surfaces 37a, 37b. In viewof the foregoing description, it is apparent that the connector assembly provides for reliably coupling the belt ends without visual attention on the part of the user.

Uncoupling the assembly is illustrated in FIGURE 5, where the cooperation of the latch operator 43 and latch plate 36 is shown. Swinging handle 56 of latch operator 43 outwardly about the axis of pins 51 and 52 causes cam surfaces 61, 62 to bear downwardly along the margins of latch plate 36. Latch plate 36 is thus tilted downwardly toward base 24 disengaging latch surface 22 from locking face 41. Pivotal movement of latch operator 43 is limited by interference of latch plate 36 with base 24. Thus, the continued application of force to the operating handle 56 results in sliding the buckle body off tongue 11, thereby providing for one-hand operation when un coupling the assembly.

Having thus described my invention in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that variations in the described structure and alternate constructional features thereof may be made within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

1. A safety belt securing assembly comprising: a buckle body including first connecting means at one end thereof for securing a belt section thereto, a supporting pedestal adjacent to and projecting above said connecting means, and a pair of spaced side walls extending along said body on opposite sides of said pedestal, each of said side walls having an overhanging end portion remote from said pedestal, said end portions forming a pair of aligned stop surfaces; latch means secured to said buckle body; and an elongated tongue having a pair of shoulders intermediate the ends thereof defining a relatively wider rear portion at least as wide as the spaced side walls of said buckle body, said rear portion including second connecting means for securing a belt section thereto, said shoulders further defining a relatively narrower forward portion of a width adapted to slide freely between said side walls including a nose portion adapted to rest on said pedestal, said forward portion also including a latch surface adapted to interlock with said latch means to prevent longitudinal withdrawal of said tongue from said buckle body, said latch means and latch surface cooperating to position said tongue shoulders beneath said overhanging stop surfaces, said pedestal and stop surfaces serving. to orient said tongue at an acute angle with the line of action through said first and second connecting means, whereby longitudinal separation forces imposed on said assembly through said belt sections is converted to" prying action acting on said pedestal and stop surfaces;

2. A safety belt connector assembly comprising: a generally channel shaped buckle body including an elongated base portion, a pair of side walls extending upwardly from opposite sides thereof, and a supporting pedestal extending upwardly from said base portion between said side walls, saidbase portion including a first belt connector means proximate one end thereof, and said side walls having extended end portions at the other end of said base forming overhanging stop surfaces; a movable latch plate secured within said channel shaped buckle body, resiliently biased upwardly from said base portion to a locking position adjacent said pedestal; cam means rotatably mounted within said channel shaped buckle body adjacent said side walls, adapted to bear on opposite margins of said latch plate, effective to selectively depress said latch plate to an unlocking position upon rotation thereof; and an elongated tongue having a pair of shoulders intermediate the ends therof defining a relatively wider rear portion spanning said side walls, said rear portion including a second belt connector means, said shoulders further defining a relatively narrower forward lportion adapted to slide freely between said cam means, said forward portion being provided with an aperture engageable with said latch plate when said latch plate is in locking position, effective to secure said tongue against longitudinal withdrawal from said buckle body and including a nose portion adapted to rest on said pedestal, said latch plate and aperture cooperating to position said shoulders beneath said overhanging stop surfaces, said pedestal and stop surfaces serving to orient said tongue at an acute angle to said base, said tongue, pedestal and stop surfaces providing spaced sets of reaction members eiective to convert longitudinally applied separation forces imposed on said assembly to a force couple of diminished magnitude.

3. A safety belt connector assembly comprising: a generally channel shaped buckle body including an elongated base and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from opposite sides thereof terminating in inclined end portions extending upwardly and outwardly from an end of said base, the said end of the base being reentrantly folded upwardly and inwardly forming a low pedestal extending transversely between said walls, a portion of said base remote from said end being struck upwardly therefrom providing a high transverse pedestal, said low and high pedestals defining a plane forming an acute angle with the inclined end portions of said side walls; a latch plate enclosed within a perimeter defined by said pedestals and side walls, having one end thereof supported on said base adjacent said low pedestal and having the other end thereof resiliently biased upwardly adjacent said high pedestal; operating means for said latch plate, pivotally mounted within said buckle body, including a pair of spaced cams mounted closely adjacent respective side walls thereof and bearing on opposite margins of said latch plate, said cams being interconnected by an operating handle having a portion thereof extending inwardly and downwardly toward said base providing a guide surface; and an elongated tongue having a rear portion at least as wide as said buckle body and a relatively narrower front portion adapted to slide freely between said cams, said front portion normally adapted t-o rest on said pedestals at an acute angle to said base and including a latch surface cooperable with said latch plate to position the wide rear portion of said tongue beneath the inclined side wall end portions of said buckle body, said tongue being lifted off said low pedestal and forced against said inclined side wall end portions responsive to longitudinally applied separating forces imposed on said buckle body and tongue.

4. A safety belt connector assembly comprising: a substantially channel shaped buckle body including an elongated base and a pair of side walls, said side walls terminating in inclined end portions extending upwardly and outwardly from an end of said base, the said end of the base being re-entrantly folded upwardly andinwardly providing a transverse socket on the inner surface thereof, an inclined guide on the outer surface thereof, and a low support on the end surface therof extending between said side walls, a portion of said base remote from said end including a higher transverse support, said supports delining a plane forming an acute angle with a plane including the inclined end portions of said side walls; an elongated tongue having a pair of lateral shouders adapted to underlie the said inclined end portions of said side walls, and having a nose portion insertable 'between the said side walls of said buckle body, said nose portion adapted to overlie said high support, said tongue further including a latch surface between said nose portion and said shoulders; a latch having one end thereof bearing in said socket and having the other end thereof resiliently biased away from said base, said plate including a latch finger struck upwardly therefrom defining a locking face engageable with the latch surface of said tongue to position said tongue longitudinally within said buckle body, and further dening a guide ramp effective, when said plate is depressed, to guide said tongue nose into overlying relationship with said -high support; and operating means for said latch plate including an operating handle having a folded end portion thereof extending inwardly and downwardly between said side walls toward said latch plate, said handle folded portion, said base folded portion and said latch guide ramp cooperating to provide a converging passageway for guiding said tongue nose into overlying relationship with said high support.

5. A safety belt buckle comprising: a substantially channel shaped buckle body including an elongated base and a pair of side Walls, said side walls terminating in inclined end portions extending upwardly and outwardly from an end of said base, the said end of the base being re-entrantly folded upwardly and inwardly providing a low support extending between said side walls, a portion of said base remote from said end including a higher transverse support, said supports defining a plane forming an acute angle with a plane including the inclined end portions yof said sidewalls; a latch plate disposed within an enclosure delined by said supports and side walls, having one end thereof bearing in said re-entrantly folded base portion and the other end thereof resiliently biased upwardly from said base adjacent said higher support; and a substantially channel shaped latch operator enclosed within said buckle body for selectively depressing said latch plate, including a second pair of spaced side walls pivotally mounted closely adjacent respective buckle side walls, said second side walls having a cam profile generated one end end thereof adapted to bear on opposite margins of said latch plate and effective to depress said latch plate upon pivotal movement thereof, said second side walls further provided with downwardly and inwardly inclined edge surfaces spaced longitudinally from said cam surfaces adapted to bear on said low support, said latch operator further including an operating handle extending between said second pair of side walls, said handle and second pair -of side walls providing a crush resistant cover for said buckle body.

6. In a safety belt clasp: an elongated at tongue connector including means for connecting a belt portion thereto and having a pair of aligned shoulders on opposite sides thereof; and a buckle body adapted to receive said tongue including, means for connecting a belt portion thereto, means for supporting a forward portion of said tongue obliquely disposed within said body, means for latching said tongue against longitudinal withdrawal therefrom, and means for guiding said tongue into register with said supporting imeans and latching means, said buckle body being of channel form conguration, the spaced side walls thereof having upwardly and outwardly inclined end portions forming an acute angle with said tongue when said tongue is inserted in said body, said side wall end portions and tongue shoulders cooperating 7 with said supporting means and said tongue forward portion to provide longitudinally spaced reaction members for resisting prying action imposed on said buckle body by said tongue When said belt portions are under tension.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,189,966 6-/1965 Craven.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner.

8 Murphy. Atumi.

Fisher. Krengel. Hollins. 

1. A SAFETY BELT SECURING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A BUCKLE BODY INCLUDING FIRST CONNECTING MEANS AT ONE END THEREOF FOR SECURING A BELT SECTION THERETO, A SUPPORTNG PEDESTAL ADJACENT TO AND PROJECTING ABOVE SAID CONNECTING MEANS, AND A PAIR OF SPACED SIDE WALLS EXTENDING ALONG SAID BODY ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID PEDESTAL, EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING AN OVERHANGING END PORTION REMOTE FROM SAID PEDESTAL, SAID END PORTIONS FORMING A PAIR OF ALIGNED STOP SURFACES; LATCH MEANS SECURED TO SAID BUCKLE BODY; AND AN ELONGATED TONGUE HAVING A PAIR OF SHOULDERS INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF DEFINING A RELATIVELY WIDER REAR PORTION AT LEAST AS WIDE AS THE SPACED SIDE WALLS OF SAID BUCKLE BODY, SAID REAR PORTION INCLUDING SECOND CONNECTING MEANS FOR SECURNG A BELT SECTION THERETO, SAID SHOULDERS FURTHER DEFINING A RELATIVELY NARROWER FORWARD PORTION OF A WIDTH ADAPTED TO SLIDE FREELY BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS INCLUDING A NOSE PORTIONS ADAPTED TO REST ON SAID PEDESTAL, SAID FORWARD PORTION ALSO INCLUDING A LATCH SURFACE ADAPTED TO INTERLOCK WITH SAID LATCH MEANS TO PERVENT LONGITUDINAL WITHDRAWAL OF SAID TONGUE FROM SAID BUCKLE BODY, SAID LATCH MEANS AND LATCH SURFACE COOPERATING TO PORTION SAID TONGUE SHOULDERS BENEATH SAID OVERHANGING STOP SURFACES, SAID PEDESTAL AND STOP SURFACES SERVING TO ORIENT SAID TONGUE AT AN ACUTE ANGLE WITH THE LINE OF ACTION THROUGH SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONNECTING MEANS, WHEREBY LONGITUDINAL SEPARATION FORCES IMPOSED ON SAID ASSEMBLY THROUGH SAID BELT SECTIONS IS CONVERTED TO PRYING ACTION ACTING ON SAID PEDESTAL AND STOP SURFACES. 